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The Carménère grape is a wine grape variety originally planted in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France, where it was used to produce deep red wines and occasionally used for blending purposes in the same manner as Petit Verdot. A member of the Cabernet family of grapes,〔(Concha y Toro, ''The Chilean Grape: Carménère''. ) Retrieved February 19, 2008.〕 the name "Carménère" originates from the French word for crimson (''carmin'') which refers to the brilliant crimson colour of the autumn foliage prior to leaf-fall. The grape is also known as ''Grande Vidure'', a historic Bordeaux synonym,〔(AppellationAmerica.com , Carmenere. ). Retrieved February 19, 2008.〕 although current European Union regulations prohibit Chilean imports under this name into the European Union.〔O. Clarke ''Encyclopedia of Grapes'' pg 61 Harcourt Books 2001 ISBN 0-15-100714-4〕 Along with Cabernet Sauvignon, Cabernet Franc, Merlot, Malbec and Petit Verdot, Carménère is considered part of the original six red grapes of Bordeaux, France.〔(MSNBC,''Wine: A glassful of smoke and flavor''. ) by Jon Bonné. January 13, 2005.〕〔(FoodTourist.com, Wine Glossary, ''Carménère grape variety''. ) by Sue Dyson and Roger McShane. Retrieved February 19, 2008.〕 Now rarely found in France, the world's largest area planted with this variety is in Chile in South America, with more than 8,800 hectares (2009) cultivated in the Central Valley.〔(Servicio Agrícola y Ganadero (Chile), ''Catastro viticola nacional 2009''. ) Retrieved September 8, 2010.〕 As such, Chile produces the vast majority of Carménère wines available today and as the Chilean wine industry grows, more experimentation is being carried out on Carménère's potential as a blending grape, especially with Cabernet Sauvignon. Carménère is also grown in Italy's Eastern Veneto and Friuli-Venezia Giulia regions〔 H. Johnson & J. Robinson ''The World Atlas of Wine'' pg 170 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 2005 ISBN 1-84000-332-4〕 and in smaller quantities in California, USA and Walla Walla region of Washington United States. == History == One of the most ancient European varieties, Carménère is thought to be the antecedent of other better-known varieties; some consider the grape to be "a long-established clone of Cabernet Sauvignon."〔(Professional Friends of Wine, Grape Profiles, Carménère ), by Ray Krause and Jim LaMar. Retrieved February 19, 2008.〕 It is possible that the variety name is an alias for what is actually the Vidure, a local Bordeaux name for a Cabernet Sauvignon clone once thought to be the grape from which all red Bordeaux varieties originated. There have also been suggestions that Carménère may be Biturica, a vine praised in ancient Rome and also the name by which the city of Bordeaux was known during that era.〔 This ancient variety originated in Iberia (modern-day Spain and Portugal), according to Pliny the Elder; indeed, it is currently a popular blending variety with Sangiovese in Tuscany called "Predicato di Biturica"〔C. Fallis ''The Encyclopedic Atlas of Wine'' pg 144 Global Book Publishing 2004 ISBN 1-74048-050-3〕 The Carménère grape has known origins in the Médoc region of Bordeaux, France〔(ChileanWine.com.com,au., ''The Lost Grape of Bordeaux: The Carménère Grape Story''. ). Retrieved February 19, 2008.〕 and was also widely planted in the Graves until the vines were struck with oidium.〔J. Robinson ''Vines, Grapes & Wines'' pg 198 Mitchell Beazley Publishing 1986 ISBN 1-85732-999-6〕 It is almost impossible to find Carménère wines in France today, as a Phylloxera plague in 1867 nearly destroyed all the vineyards of Europe, afflicting the Carménère grapevines in particular such that for many years the grape was presumed extinct. When the vineyards were replanted, growers could not replant Carménère as it was extremely hard to find and more difficult to grow than other grape varieties common to Bordeaux.〔(WineReviewOnline.com, ''Greatness Attained: Carménère'' ) by Michael Franz. October 31, 2006.〕 The region's damp, chilly spring weather gave rise to coulure, "a condition endemic to certain vines in climates which have marginal, sometimes cool, wet springs",〔〔Block, S. (''When I first heard about Carménère,I was certain it was a hoax''. )〕 which prevented the vine's buds from flowering. Yields were lower than other varieties and the crops were rarely healthy; consequently wine growers chose more versatile and less coulure-susceptible grapes when replanting the vines and Carménère planting was progressively abandoned. 抄文引用元・出典: フリー百科事典『 ウィキペディア（Wikipedia）』 ■ウィキペディアで「Carménère」の詳細全文を読む スポンサード リンク
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